


Illeism

by Succulents



Series: Loki Ficlets [2]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Frostiron snipit, Hurt/Comfort, Kinda, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, M/M, Magic Politics, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Hatred, its short, supportive tony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-26
Updated: 2017-11-26
Packaged: 2019-02-07 07:38:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12836406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Succulents/pseuds/Succulents
Summary: Illeism; n. The act of referring to oneself in third personTony Stark knows a sore-spot when he finds one. When he calls Loki out on his, the mortal finds that the truth behind the myths may be worse than the myths themselves.





	Illeism

“Why is everyone so afraid you?”

The Norse deity froze mid-step, his tensing shoulders visible from where the inventor stood behind him. The question had clearly had struck a nerve. 

“What is the saying you have here on earth?” Loki’s teeth clicked together, “It is better to be feared than to be loved?” 

“Loki…” Tony stepped towards him. Heavy, unsure steps carrying him forward. 

“They already hated me,” Loki’s harsh tone made Tony stop, “For my magic, for my thoughts, for my... recusancy. I could never be loved by them, not in the way they loved Thor.” There was no malice in the way Loki mentioned his brother; Tony had realized that despite Loki’s denial of their familial bond, he did not hate the Thor. “Despite what I did as their prince, as their regent, I could not glean their approval. So, I let them hate me. They asked me for a monster, and I gave them one.”

Tony didn’t say anything, waiting for Loki to continue the thought. 

“Fear. Fear is a debilitator; it prevents people from doing things. Blind, unfounded fear is worse--fear of the unknown. It didn’t take much, really, it was pathetic how much they wanted to believe. I was able to sew lies… about chaos and darkness, the debauchery came later. And they took it, without preamble, and warped it.” Loki was shaking now, truly trembling. A horrible, twisting feeling rising up in his chest. 

He had been able to push it down for so long, to pretend that the cruel whispers hadn’t stung. Loki had taken their ridicule, their hatred, their fear. He’d let it shape him, make him hard and impassive. Loki had become as spiteful as his own lies painted him to be, truth and fallacy blurred with each passing day. Eventually the silver-tongued trickster barely knew the difference between himself and the person they believed him to be. 

“When I fell,” Loki swallowed eventually, finding his voice amidst the turmoil of his mind. “I thought that I would die. That by some mercy the void would swallow me, allow me to escape from the lies. But the Norns could never be so kind as to allow that. When _He _found me and warped me, I believed that I deserved it. When _He _told me what to do, I convinced myself that I was burdened with a horrific and glorious purpose. Because of this, I was blind to my own errors.”____

____Tony shuddered. Loki rarely spoke of the invasion, let alone what had prompted such violence. Tony knew whatever led up to such a thing had to have been traumatic--if Loki’s nightmares were any testament to the brutality he’d suffered._ _ _ _

____“Now, they have a reason to be afraid.” the venomous edge returned to Loki’s voice, making him sound feral. “Are you afraid, Stark?”_ _ _ _

____Tony shook his head sadly, “Not of you, Loki.”_ _ _ _


End file.
